In Class 1-D, Ayanokoji hadn't even stepped into the classroom before the uproar brought him to a halt.
No surprise there. This was Class D, after all!
When the teacher wasn't around, it was practically a zoo.
Dozens of students were scattered in groups across the classroom, already forming cliques.
Their chatter could be heard from the stairwell several classrooms away.
Plenty of them had their feet propped up on desks or were sitting right on top of them.
The place looked like a delinquent high school.
Ayanokoji sighed inwardly and walked into the classroom with the same blank expression as ever, heading for the seat he wanted: the one by the window in the back row.
He had mastered the art of erasing his presence, so no one noticed him as he passed.
He took his textbooks out of his bag and set them on his desk, then propped his chin on his hand out of habit and stared vacantly at the blue sky outside.
"What an unpleasant coincidence."
Huh? Why did that voice sound so familiar?
Ayanokoji turned his head. The girl in the seat beside him on the right was reading a book, her long black hair falling straight down her back.
The instant he saw that smooth, jet-black hair reaching her waist, he remembered.
Horikita Suzune... one of the heroines of Classroom of the Elite.
The reason he remembered her so quickly was that, for a long time when he was younger, his type had been girls with long, straight black hair. And his ex-girlfriend had been the very definition of one...
But more importantly, her voice sounded a little like his ex-girlfriend's, too?
Well, would you look at that. An ex-girlfriend from another world.
She noticed Ayanokoji staring at her out of the corner of his eye. His expression wasn't particularly offensive, but his prolonged gaze still made her uncomfortable.
"Creepy."
Horikita Suzune said it with the expression of an eternal ice queen, her voice as calm as still water. She clearly didn't care if she offended him.
Well, even the way she insults people is similar to hers.
Ayanokoji's mouth twitched. He scoffed inwardly.
Despite Horikita's uncanny resemblance to his ex-girlfriend, he didn't feel the slightest bit of pleasure. Instead, he felt an urge to make her pay.
"An unpleasant coincidence indeed."
"I'd have thought the younger sister of the great President Horikita would be in Class A."
At those words, the girl's body tensed. Her brows furrowed, her eyes narrowed, and she shot him an unmistakably displeased look.
"I don't know how you found out I'm his sister, but my affairs have nothing to do with him. I was placed in Class D because I wasn't capable enough."
"I advise you not to make baseless assumptions."
She's a total siscon!
But wait, you were the one who started picking on me. Why are you acting like I'm the one who won't let it go?
Ayanokoji felt a little exasperated. But seeing how seriously the girl took the matter, as if he'd touched a nerve, he decided not to retaliate further.
Who knew what this woman might do if she lost her temper? It wouldn't be good to push her too far. A little lesson should be enough.
When Ayanokoji stopped taunting her, Horikita Suzune returned her attention to her book. But the cold, expressionless girl from before had become someone who bit her lip, her face full of frustration.
In her eyes, it didn't matter how other people judged her. But she couldn't stand the thought that her own performance might bring down the reputation of her brother, Horikita Manabu.
She had worked so hard to catch up to her brother, to become as exceptional as he was and earn the world's recognition as a genius. And now her performance might bring shame upon him.
With her fierce pride and competitive spirit, she would never allow that to happen!
Ayanokoji watched Horikita's stubborn expression and gave a quiet sigh. Maybe this was why she'd ended up in Class D.
After a while, a young man with light-colored hair entered their field of vision.
"Hey, everyone! While we're waiting for the teacher, why don't we introduce ourselves?"
"That way, we can get to know each other and become friends!"
"Hey, not bad. That's a great idea."
"I'm in!"
"Yeah, we don't even know each other's names yet."
Before long, more than half the class had voiced their agreement.
Ayanokoji glanced at the boy who had suggested it.
He had a handsome face, sharp-looking hair, and, more importantly, a sunny, cheerful air that made him seem easy to approach...
Yep, the type you could be bros with.
"Then I'll get us started."
A pretty girl stepped up to the podium, carrying burdens that seemed too heavy for someone her age.
Ayanokoji glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.
Wasn't she the girl from this morning? Now that he got a better look, she was quite pretty—at least above average.
Still, he sensed a slyness lurking beneath her sweet smile, though he couldn't say why.
"Hi, everyone! My name is Kushida Kikyo. If you don't mind, you can just call me Kikyo!"
"My wish is to become friends with every student in the school. I hope we'll all get along in the days ahead. Um..."
"If anything comes up, I'd be really happy if you came to Kikyo for a chat!"
When she finished, Kushida gave everyone a sweet, practiced smile, instantly winning over a crowd of friends, both boys and girls.
Nine out of ten. Her social skills were perfect, but there was just a little something missing in the way of sincerity.
Ayanokoji assessed her with interest.
After all, he'd spent twelve years in compulsory education in his previous life and given plenty of self-introductions himself. From awkward and nervous to shamelessly confident, he knew exactly how to come up with... or rather, deliver a nearly perfect introduction.
"All right, you're next!"
"My name is Wang Meiyu. I'm from the Dragon Kingdom..."
"My name is Matsushita Chiaki..."
"My name is Yukimura Teruhiko..."
The introductions proceeded in orderly fashion. Most of the class listened quietly and cooperatively, occasionally applauding or cheering to show their support. The exceptions were a red-haired boy with an annoyed expression and a long-haired blond boy who looked like he couldn't care less.
"Okay, now it's your turn, the one by the window in the back!"
Hirata looked toward the blank-faced boy in the back row and smiled.
At the sound of his voice, the corner of Ayanokoji's mouth lifted. He slowly stood, a confident smile on his face.
Tremble, mere mortals.
Prepare yourselves to experience the self-introduction of a genius!
It's time to show you what I can really do.
Though Ayanokoji's heart was surging, his expression remained as calm as a still pond. Only the faintest changes gave any sign of what he was feeling.
He took a deep breath and slowly began.
"My name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. I'm from White Room Middle School. I'm a rich second-generation kid, and I'm here purely to experience the life of an ordinary student."
"My father is a politician with a few screws loose. I haven't met my mother yet. I've ranked first in every exam since I was little and never seen any other rank. My hobbies are carrying a piano while practicing calligraphy and playing chess. My dream is to get back at the bastard who's my old man someday. That's all. Please be nice to me, meow!"
How was that? Shocking, right?
That's the kind of self-introduction that leaves an impression! Do you understand, mere mortals?
Once he'd finished, Ayanokoji sat down, perfectly satisfied. He gave his speech a 9.9 out of 10. He'd docked himself 0.1 because he hadn't mentioned his fondness for yogurt makers, which would have helped everyone get to know him better.
Everyone in the room froze—except Hirata, who kept smiling politely.
That whole speech had been one land mine after another.
"Hey, hey, that was a bit much... Being a rich kid isn't something you can just brag about, is it?"
"First place every time? Yeah, right. And those hobbies are ridiculous, too."
"Hey, hey... Isn't the most ridiculous part his dream? What kind of dutiful son is that?"
The classroom broke into chatter, though it wasn't loud enough for Ayanokoji to hear.
In his original world, this kind of self-deprecating introduction would easily earn someone a reputation for being funny and quirky. It was a great way to break the ice with people you'd just met.
Who didn't like a clown?
Ayanokoji was very pleased with his performance.
Before you continue